Compassion In Kenya

Safe World Field Partner in Kenya - Compassion CBO, was formed to eradicate poverty through education and sustainable development among women living in the slums and rural areas and to rehabilitate orphans and vulnerable children.

Field Partner News

COFAPRI organised handwashing sessions for school children and mothers in rural villages, with the aid of educational DVDs kindly supplied by Thare Machi Education. The word has begun to spread as neighbours are now prompting each other to wash their hands.

Increased security helps women become self-reliant and less financially dependent on their husbands. This improves the situation for the whole family and also means the women are less vulnerable to abuse.

It remains very important within communities for men and boys to be educated regarding the rights of women and girls, including their proper, fair and respectful treatment. When the women and girls become empowered, it is the whole community that benefits.

In most parts of our society, the word “Feminism” still remains a bitter pill for so many people to swallow, however, to Wfac’s college SRHR Peer educators, the ‘F’ word is about change, empowerment of all and transforming lives.

Perhaps the most inspiring session for me came towards the end of the two days and was entitled ‘Bring back our girls – the forgotten victims of conflict’... We heard the CEO of International Alert, Harriet Lamb, and Victoria Nyanjura - who was kidnapped by…

Once upon a time in my country, Nigeria, there was a ruler who was dreaded by many... We resisted and said No to every oppressive action or word to any weak or voiceless Nigerian... This is the time to stand firm on what has held the world together - Love.

All the most prominent, biggest community and feminist movements to alleviate the sufferings of women and girls and support women’s involvement in education and leadership have been championed mostly by women...

I cannot ever vote for anyone who promotes misogyny, racism, Islamophobia, zenophobia, homophobia... It would be a mockery of my life... dishonoring my elders who have endured the many injustices of racial animosity, my friends who've experienced the same...

“Women United for a Better Community” is a new group of grassroots women in the Ayacucho Region at the South High Andean of Peru, recently created by Estrategia, a National Grassroots women's organization. The grassroots women require to be heard and get the…

On September 28th 2016 an Iranian appeals court upheld a 16-year sentence for 44 year old Narges Mohammadi, a prominent human rights defender. Mrs. Mohammadi is a key member of the campaign for the abolition of the death penalty in Iran, a lawyer by training,…

An eye on mass rapes in DR Congo

An Eye on Mass Rapes in the DRC

The mass rapes caused by consecutive wars in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) weigh heavily on the population--particularly women and girls.

The number of the women and girls who have been raped remains unknown, although some reports advance the figure of 200,000.

HISTORY

The Rwanda genocide occurred in 1994. Its perpetrators fled to Zaire under Mobutu; Zaire today is known as the DRC. It was sometime later after the dictator Mobutu was overthrown in 1996 that the rapes began in the DRC.

Then, the African World War opened, which involved eight African nations.

Between 1998 -2007, it is believed that more than 5.4 million people died.

This war became the second deadliest war after the WWII, due to the struggle over gaining control of the rich mineral reserves that the country engorges.

Moreover, this battle caused thousands of people to be displaced from their homes: some took refuge in the forests, others went to neighbouring countries, and many more decided to stay home.

RESPONSIBILITY

The perpetrators of these awful human rights infringements are varied, and among them, the Interahamwe, who are the people who committed the genocide of 1994 in Rwanda, and who also took refuge in the Eastern DRC.

They are collaborating with some May May, and other rebel groups who are operating from the forests of the DRC, where they are located.

The forests contain lots of minerals from which they mine. They are making a fortune by selling those minerals, which is supporting their bunkum actions. (bunkum refers to bizarre and devlish actions on people.)

As these Interahamwe have been living in the DRC for more than a decade, they have corrupted some local citizens to violate human rights just as they do themselves, such as involving them in rapes.

Some reports have indicated that recalcitrant units of the governmental and UN peace keepers are also involved in rapes.

The latter cases are not as numerous as the ones mentioned above, but they are a breach of human rights .

SOLUTIONS?

Measures have been taken to hinder the ongoing spread of the rapes. Various local and international organizations have always denounced these awful acts of barbarism on humankind in the Eastern part of the DRC since the rapes began.

By spreading the awareness of what is happening in the country, churches have played a key role in helping bring peace to the DRC. They denounce different barbaric acts committed in the country, and those who are involved in it.

Churches also bring some moral and material assistance to some victims.

There are churches that are strongly involved in mobilizing anyone holding an illegal arm to submit it; and anyone who renders one's illegal arm is given fifty dollars. It is a good process to reduce rapes and banditry, to foster security in general.

THE UNITED NATIONS

The United Nations has deployed some peacekeepers in the country to alleviate the situation.

Congo contains the largest UN mission contingent in the world with more than 20,000 blue caps.

The collaboration between the UN and the DRC government to extradite some of the Interahamwe by the UN peace keepers is also helping to reduce barbarity in this part of the country.

However, some local and international reports reveal that the UN has failed its mission in the DRC by not faithfully carrying out their mission of protecting the local population.

The media, local and international, has played a great role in combatting rapes and different atrocities committed in the DRC. Local media and journalists have even been attacked by people who do not want the world to learn about their barbarity.

The local population has done much through their solidarity to assist the victims, such as taking them to the hospital. One of the hospitals that are doing a lot to help the raped women and girls is Panzi hospital, located in Bukavu.

A very interesting and encouraging sign from the government is that they have voted on a law to halt any illegal mineral exploitation in the Eastern DRC.

Earlier, the same idea was nurtured by country members of the Great Lakes Region. If this law is carefully implemented, it will bear positive outcomes.

HELP

Your Help Will Be Invaluable

These rapes and other atrocities committed on human beings are a national issue.

This is a situation that needs everyone to be involved for positive resolution. Wherever you are, promote this noble fight against human rights violations in the DRC.

If possible, write to the DRC government to do more and end completely the war in all the corners of the country.

Ask various officials in your respective regions to take tough action against the perpetrators of rapes in the country.

Raise awareness of rapes and the evils of the perpetrators by denouncing the evildoers and their acts.

If this is done at the local, national, regional, and international levels, we will help reduce and discourage violence.

Also, consider making a donation to organizations that are strongly committed to put an end to this plight, and to better the social conditions of women and girls of the DRC.